Founder 

Dr. Amber E. Kelly, PhD, MS, MHS

Dr. Amber E. Kelly, is a proud native of Cincinnati, Ohio.  As a child she was inspired by her parents’ community involvement with youth and grandparents’ dedication to educating children.  She initially pursued a career as a clinical psychologist, but realizing that she was more passionate about how the environment ( e.g. social, political, ecological) impacted others, she pursued a career as a community psychologist. Dr. Kelly has lived in major metropolitan cities working on initiatives that strived to eliminate inequalities among disenfranchised populations.  Her experiences in nonprofit leadership, community outreach, program evaluation, research and education helped to intertwine her passions with her career goals; which led her back to her hometown to impact change in the community.

Her passion project, FamilyFlickn, a mobile pop-up theatre, provided families with a free opportunity to create lasting memories on party buses. FamilyFlickn (People’s Liberty Project Grant), stemmed from her desire to share her childhood memory of going to the movies in her old neighborhood, that no longer has a movie theater. It was important to bring a viable and safe entertainment option back to a community lacking options for hardworking families to relax and create memories.

Community Engagement Collective was created to create additional opportunities beyond FamilyFlickn that promote community engagement .

The pandemic caused CEC to shift initiatives to address emerging needs. CEC launched the first Black Indigenous Person of Color (BIPOC) Mental and Behavioral Health Provider directory in Cincinnati to connect community members to mental health professionals. 

One of the critical goals of CEC is to become obsolete as a nonprofit organization meaning close its doors. This innovative action will reflect CEC's desire to be impactful in its mission of being "an engagement space for communities to collaborate and strategize on radically inclusive projects, outcomes, and solutions."   

We welcome community collaborations!